Display device



Dec. 23, 1930. A. MAYER 1,786,253

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. 18. 1929 Q INVEN R flay: 7 Waye BY ATTORNEYS Patented ec. 23,, 193d AUGUST MAYER, 015 NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 ADARTCRAFT, ENG, 015 NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE marten nnvrcn Application filed November 18, 1929. Serial No. 407,949.

This invention relates to display devices, and more particularly to a package or container having an embossed member or the like arranged therein to simulate the top row or layer of the articles usually packed for sale in said container, and a support to hold said embossed member in the position normally occupied by said top row or layer of articles.

Tn displaying various articles, the box or container in which the articles are sold is frequently displayed opened so that the top row of the articles is exposed. Such method of display is used in connection with various articles such as candy, cigarettes, fruits, coffee and the like, but is more universally used as an advertising medium in the cigar industry. v

()pened boxes of cigars are frequently used in window displays and the like and the top row of cigars in a box so used dries out and becomes unfit for consumption. Similarly candies, fruits and other products so displayed deteriorate in quality. The purchasing public, however, has become so accustomed to this method of advertising that producers still use it even at the loss of considerable merchandise through spoilage.

My invention is designed to eliminate this 1 :3 loss of material and, at the same time, provide a display device to be used in place thereof which will produce the same appearance as a full box of cigars, or other products, now used for that purpose. This results in considerable saving of material and still enables the merchant to advertise and display the product in the manner in which the purchasing public expects to have it displayed In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated in connection with the ad= vertisement of cigars. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a cigar box showing the invention applied;

Fig. 2 is a Vertical, transverse, sectional view of the box;

Fig. 3 is a detailed, sectional View of the %isplay card and holder on line 33 of Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing a different size of box; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed, sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 1 designates a cigar box of ordinary construction provided with the usual hinged lid 2 which is adapted to be arranged in the open position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings for display purposes. Instead of employing a box of full cigars, as is the usual practice, I form an embossed sheet 3 which simulates the cigars in appearance. The embossing is formed by first staining or coloring the sheet the desired color and then making the embossing with a specially pre pared die. lin the conventional packaging of cigars they are placed in the box in alternate rows of 12 and 13 cigars with a row of 13 on top. The embossed sheet may be formed of any desired length and cut or separated into sections representing 13 cigars. A support 4 may be secured to the embossed sheet either before or after cutting the sheet to size. The support or backing may be secured to the embossed sheet by a suitable adhesive or any other manner. As shown, the support is of less width than the length of a cigar (see Figs. 2 and 4) and is spaced from the front and back of the box when in position. The end portions of each of the represented cigars in the box are flanged or turned over as at 5 to represent the sides of the cigars and with the shading caused by the walls of the box produce a display that is Very deceivingly .similar to a box of cigars. The front and back of the support extend downwardly as at 6 to engage the bottom of the box, and dispose the upper surface of the embossed sheet in the plane that would normally be occupied by the top surface of the top row of cigars in a full device, to be used with boxes adapted to hold twenty-five cigars as indicated at 9 in Fig. 4 of the drawings. ,In a box of twenty-five cigars the cigars are arranged in two rows of twelve and thirteen, respectively. In a box of fifty cigars they are arranged in fourwise secured to the embossed surface 3.

As stated above, the invention may be applied to products other than cigars and a box of cigars is used merely as an illustrati'on. Any product that is displayed in a container in which it is sold, with the container open during such display and the product subject to deterioration, can be displayed or advertised in this manner by forming an embossing simulating the top row or layer of such product and providing a support therefor which will position the embossing in the position normally occupied by the top row or layer of product with respect to the top of the container. The advantages of the invention in connection with cigars will be readily apparent to one familiar with the merchandising of this product. The number of cigars annually used for display purposes which are rendered unfit for consumption, or which are damaged by exposure during such display, is very large and such cigars can not be restored to their original condition except by experts who are not available in each store of the size in which such displays are employed. Such cigars are either sold at reduced prices, or the merchant attemptsto restore them to their original condition by placing them in humidors with the result that the purchaser receives an inferior product which gives the product a bad name.

By means of my invention the display apparatus can be manufactured at a cost greatly less than the cost of a box of cigars and substantially the same effect is produced when the display boxes are placed in a store window or otherwise used for display where they are not handled by the prospective customers.

I claim:

1. A display device comprising a cigar box, an embossing representing a row of cigars, a supporting member to which said embossing is secured, and flanges formed on said supporting member, said flanges being adapted to engage the bottom of the box to retain said embossing in the position normally occupied by the top row of cigars in the box.

2. A display device comprising a cigar box, an embossing representing a row of cigars, a supporting member to which said embossing is secured, and flanges formed on said supporting member, said flanges being adapted to engage the bottom of the box to retain said embossing in the position normally 0ceupied by the top row of cigars in the box, said flanges being adjustable to permit the use of said device with boxes of different depths.

3. A display device comprising an embossed member representing a row of cigars and adapted to be arranged in a cigar box, said member being of a size to snugly fit a cigar box in one direction from end to end, the over-all length of the representation of each individual cigar being substantially equal to the other dimension of the box surface, the ends of said individual representations being shaped to simulate the ends of cigars forming shaded spaces between said ends and the adjacent walls of the box when said member is in position, and means for supporting said embossed member in the position normally occupied by the top row of cigars in said box.

4. A display device comprising an embossed member simulating the top layer of articles to be displayed and adapted to be arranged in a box in which said articles are normally packed in the position normally occupied by the top layer of articles, and a support to which said embossed member is secured, said support engaging the bottom of the box to. retain said embossed member in the desired position.

5. A display device'comprising an embossed member representing a row of cigars and adapted to be arranged in a cigar box in the position normally occupied by the top row of cigars in said box, representations of successive exposed portions of cigar bands secured to said embossed member and extending across the exposed portions of the individually represented cigars, and means for supporting said embossed member in the position normally occupied by the top row of cigars in said box.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

AUGUST MAYER. 

